ST. AUGUSTINE — Bishop Erik Pohlmeier will lead a Holy Hour for Peace immediately following the 6:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross on Friday, Feb. 27, at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine. All are invited to join in prayer for healing, reconciliation and peace in our families, communities and nation.
The Holy Hour is offered in response to a nationwide invitation from Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Archbishop Coakley has called on bishops and priests across the United States to hold moments of Eucharistic prayer “for reconciliation where there is division, for justice where there are violations of fundamental rights, and for consolation for all who feel overwhelmed by fear or loss.” This call is intended to unite Catholics in intercession and trust in Christ’s peace during times of polarization and anxiety.
The Holy Hour also resonates with the Church’s teaching on human dignity and compassion, particularly as articulated in a Special Pastoral Message on Immigration issued by the U.S. bishops in November 2025. In that message, the bishops affirmed the Church’s concern for immigrants as persons made in the image and likeness of God, urged an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, and called for meaningful reform rooted in justice, mercy and hope. They reminded the faithful that generations of immigrants have made enormous contributions to the nation and encouraged Christians to stand with those who suffer rather than be driven by fear or division.
Bishop Pohlmeier’s own teaching in 2025 likewise calls Catholics to view immigration through the lens of the Gospel of Christ, recognizing every person’s inherent dignity and responding to social challenges with Christian compassion. He has encouraged the faithful to see beyond political rhetoric and approach questions of policy and pastoral care with charity, mercy and hope.
“Where there is fear, confusion and division,” Archbishop Coakley observed in his invitation, “your faith matters. Your prayers matter. Your acts of love and works of justice matter.” His call to prayer — and the Holy Hour at the Cathedral — invites all who are seeking peace to place their needs, anxieties and hopes before the Lord present in the Eucharist.
During the Holy Hour, the faithful will pray before the Blessed Sacrament, entrusting to the Sacred Heart of Jesus the needs of our world, our neighbors and our own hearts, and asking for the grace to be instruments of Christ’s peace and healing.
Event Details
Friday, Feb. 27 | 6:00 p.m.
Stations of the Cross followed by Holy Hour
Cathedral Basilica, 38 Cathedral Place in St. Augustine
For more on Bishop Pohlmeier’s pastoral teaching on immigration and related resources, visit https://dosafl.com/immigration.
